Jet propulsion means for boats



1958 L. B. NICKLES JET PROPULSION MEANS FOR BOATS 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIGJ.

Filed April 20, 1955 INVENTOR. LEWIS B. NICKLES ATTORNEYS Aug. 19, 1958Filed April 20, 1955 FIG.2.

L. B. NICKLES JET PROPULSION MEANS FOR BOATS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 LEWISB.N|CKLES MMJu;

ATTORNEYS 2,847,965 JET PROPULSION MEANS FOR BOATS Lewis B. Nickles,Livonia, Mich. Application April 20, 1955, Serial No. 502,596 1 Claim.(Cl. 115-12) The present invention relates to jet propulsion of boatsand has among its objects to greatly increase the efficiency of suchmeans of propulsion by syphonic action.

Heretofore jet propulsion for boats has been accomplished by means ofjets of water discharged rearwardly but such means while producingpropulsion, is low in efiiciency and is open to other objections.

Among the objects of the present invention is to utilize them in suchmanner and in means that greatly increases such efiiciency.

Another object is to provide jet propulsion using stationary jets forboth forward and reverse movement.

Still other objects will readily occur to those skilled in the art uponreference to the following description and the accompanying drawings inwhich Figure 1 is a more or less diagrammatic plan view of a boat hullhaving installed therein the propelling means.

Figure 2 is a sectional view longitudinally of one of the propulsiondevices.

Figure 3 is a front elevation of the intake screen.

Figure 4 is a side elevation of the same.

Figure 5 is an end elevation of Figure 2.

In the drawing, the outline of a boat hull is indicated at A with itsprow at B and its stern at C showing a pair of rudders D. Inside of thehull A there is shown at 19 a suitable motor, preferably an internalcombustion engine coupled to a pump 11, preferably a centrifugal pumphaving its intake 12 connected to a screen casing 13 and its delivery 14connected to a manifold 15.

The manifold 15 is shown as provided with four branches 16 connected tofour valve casings 17, 18, 19 and 20, the first three of these beingconventional twoway valves while the fourth 20 is a one-way valve.

Near the stern of the boat is located a manifold system consisting oftwo manifolds 21 and 22 extending crosswise of the boat and two others23 and 24, one 23 ex tending diagonally from the right end of manifold21 to the left end of manifold 22. The other 24 extends from the leftend of manifold 21 to the right end of manifold 22. These four manifoldsare connected to the valves 17 and 18 as follows: 7

Manifold 21 is connected through a conduit 25 to the right of valve 17.Manifold 22 is connected through conduit 26 to the left end of valve 17.Manifold 23 is connected through conduit 27 to the left end of valve 18.Manifold 24 is connected through conduit 28 to the right end of valve18. The two manifolds 21 and 22 at their ends are connected through thehull of the boat to injector nozzles 21A, 21B and 22A, 22B respectivelywhich nozzles are also open to the ends of the manifolds 23 and 24.

Of the several nozzles, those at 21A and 22B are located within and nearthe ends of a tube or tunnel 30 of the diameter of which is shown asabout twice that of the injector nozzle opening, and which is open atboth ends and arranged longitudinally of the hull at a suflicientdistance from the keel E to be above the bottom of the keel. The othernozzles 21B and 22A are arranged similarly in a second similar tube 31,on the other side of keel E.

States Paten 2,847,965 Patented Aug. 19, 1958 While the ratio of thediameter of the tunnel and nozzle is shown and described above as about2 to 1, it may be greater or less, depending upon desiredcharacteristics.

Further, the nozzles 21A and 21B are directed forwardly of the boatwhile the nozzles 22A and 22B are directed rearwardly.

In operation, with the motor 10 running but without propulsion in eitherdirection, the pressure built up by the pump is relieved by means of asuitable tensioned safety valve 32 which discharges into the casing 13in front of and across the inlet screen. This valve 32 also functions torelieve the pressure built up in the manifold 15 when any of the valves17 to 19 is moved from one open position to the other-both openings willbe closed momentarily during the transition.

In the forward propulsion of the boat, the valve 18 will be in itscentered position with the conduits 27 and 28 closed and valve 17 movedto open conduit 26 and closed conduit 25.

The 'full pump delivery will be from the injector nozzles 22A and 22Band will cause the siphoning of a considerably greater quantity of waterthrough the tunnels 30 and 31 and therefore a greater reaction on theboat.

If it is desired to reverse the boat movement, the valve 17 will bemoved to close conduit 26 and. open conduit 25 so that the pump deliverywill be through nozzles 21A and 21B reversing the flow through tunnels30 and 31.

The steering of the boat is preferably done mainly by means of therudders D but if it is desired to make a tight turn, the valve 17 iscentered and closed and the valve 18 put into operation. This valve 18directs the water from manifold 15, through one or the other of conduits27 and 28. Conduit 27 leads to manifold 23 and to nozzles 21A and 22Awhich tend to turn the prow to the right. Conduit 28 leads to manifold24 and nozzles 21B and 228 which tend to turn the prow to the left.

The valve 19 is used when it is desired to move the boat laterally, andcontrols flow of water through the conduits 40 and 41, each of whichterminates in a pair of widely spaced nozzles 43 discharging laterallyof the boat.

The valve 20 is a one-way valve which may be used when it is desired toutilize the pump delivery for any purpose other than propulsion, suchfor example, as hose attachment.

The water inlet for the pump, as above mentioned, will be through acasing 13 divided 'by a screen 13A and having the front 13B open with aclosed compartment 13C behind the screen. The pump inlet 12 will open tothis compartment while the discharge 32A from valve 32 will be in frontof and laterally across the screen in order to clear away anyaccumulation of debris.

In order to control the direction of flow of water in the severalmanifolds each is provided with an outwardly opening check valve 38between the nozzle ends and the conduit leading water into the manifold.

I claim:

Boat propulsion means comprising a pair of tubular water tunnels fixedto the outer wall of the boat hull parallel to the keel and below thewater line, an injector nozzle within and adjacent to each end of eachtunnel and arranged to discharge toward the tunnel end adjacent thereto,and means for supplying water under pressure to selected ones of saidnozzles, said supply means comprising a pump having its deliveryconnected to a plurality of manifolds, one of which is connected tothose two nozzles at the forward ends of the tunnels, a second one ofwhich is connected to the nozzles at the rearward ends of the tunnels, athird manifold being connected to one for ward and one rearward nozzleand a fourth manifold being connected to the other forward and the otherrearward nozzles, a check valve in each manifold adjacent 3 4 eachnozzle and opening toward said nozzle, and valve 1,259,753 Lassell Mar.19, 1918 means for directing pump delivery to a selected one of the1,484,075 Otto Feb. 19, 1924 1,842,858 Couzinet Jan. 26, 1932 manifolds.

2,356,301 Brase Aug. 22, 1944 References Cited in the file of thispatent UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS Jensen Apr. 16, 1912 51,890Switzerland Mar. 11, 1910

